Health and development reviews at age 2 – information for parents

When your child turns two they will be invited to a health and development review by your NHS provider. At this review you can talk to a member of your local health visiting team about your child's progress and ask any questions you might have.

Each review has the same aim of making sure that you and your child get the right support at the right time so there is some overlap, but they focus on different things so you should take the opportunity to have both.

If either review shows that your child needs more support, your health visiting team and childcare provider will work together, with you, to make sure that happens.

Early years review at age 2

This review will be completed at your childcare provider by your child's key person. You will not have to be there. If they can, they will complete this check before your child has their health and development review so you can take their summary document along for your health visitor to look at.

The review will:

look at your child's learning and development

identify their strengths and see if they need extra support in any areas

make sure that the people looking after your child know about their interests and needs

suggest ways you can support your child's learning and development at home

Your childcare provider will invite you to a meeting to talk through the review and to give you a written summary document. You will be asked to bring your child's red book (health record) to the meeting. During the meeting your childcare provider will put the written summary into your child's red book so the health visitor can quickly and easily find the information.

Health and development review at age 2

The health and development review at age 2 forms part of the Government's Healthy Child Programme (GOV.UK) that aims to make sure children are healthy, supported and have access to the services they need. It is an opportunity for you to ask questions and discuss any concerns you may have.

Your NHS provider will send you a letter to arrange your child's health and development review. The letter will include two Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2). You will be asked to fill these in with your child before your appointment and take them along on the day. You will also be asked to bring your child's red book to the appointment.

During the appointment a member of your health visiting team will review the questionnaires with you and, if you have one, the summary document given to you by your child's childcare provider. The review also gives you the opportunity to discuss other areas of your child's health like:

Growth, healthy eating and keeping active

Managing behaviour and encouraging good sleeping habits

Dental health

Keeping your child safe

Vaccinations

Hearing and vision

They will also ask your child to carry out some simple exercises. They will use all this information to check that your child is progressing as they should be. If they feel your child needs more support they will help arrange this for you and if necessary contact your childcare provider to talk about the next steps.

Contact details

If you do not receive a letter inviting you to your child's health and development review, or if you have any other questions about your child's development contact your health visiting team for advice.